Internal combustion engine



Oct. 13, 1936. w. L. WUEHR 2,057,075

:[NTERNAL IOMBUSTIGN ENGINE I Filed April 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E A; i i //4 5 I8 I 1 J E I II E VI! P Q 26 27 INVEN TOR.

/Y/iam L. Wu e6 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE William L. Wuehr, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application April 4, 1934, Serial No. 718,922 '6 Claims. (01. 60-14) The invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to engines of the "DieseP type. It has for its main objects to utilize the heatcontained in the exhaust gases, so

as to increase the emciency of the engine by employing the energy contained in these gases to operate asecondary and oppositely-disposed piston, so that alternate power impulses will be delivered to the piston rod.

Another object is to employ the water used for cooling the engine in combination with the exhaust gases, so as to further increase the efliciency of the engine. A further object is to so construct the means employed that they may be used on engines of various types and timed to operate in proper relation tothe standard parts of such engines. Additional objects are to so construct these means that they will not materially alter the ordinary standard parts of the engine nor interfere with the regular and-customary operations of the engine.

These and various other objects and advantages will be readily understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which, however, modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of an engine to which the invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional elevation of the cooling-water pump employed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross sectional view of the exhaust valve;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged, cross-sectional views of other parts shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are diagrams showing various positions of the cylinders during the rotation of the crank shaft.

To illustrate the invention a Diesel engine of the marine type has been selected and such an engine is shown on the drawings, however, it is not thereby meant to limit the invention to this or to any particular type of engine. Only such Jacket at H, the cylinder exhaust port at l8 and the scavenging port at l9. The air intake valve is shown at 8 and the fuel valve at 9.

The present invention resides in securing an- A other larger and oppositely-disposed piston 20,

to the lower end of the regular piston. This piston works in a cylinder 2| which is clamped, by means of tie-bolts 22, between an upper plate 23 and a lower plate 24. A jacket 25, is similarly 5 clamped between these plates. Spring-actuated Valves 26 and 21 lead from the exhaust chamber 28 to the upper part of the cylinder 2|. These valves are secured on the upper plate 23. Springactuated valves 29 and 30 are secured on the up- 10 per face of the piston and lead from the cylinder to an interior chamber 3| formed in the piston. Another spring-actuated valve 32 is secured in the lower end of this piston and leads from the chamber 3! to the lower end of. the cyl- 15 inder 2|.

A detailed view of either valves 23 or is shown at Fig. 4. The construction of the other valves is very similar to' the construction of these valves. The valves are preferably made so that go the whole valve structure may be removed or installed in one unit. Each valve consists of valve body 33 in which the valve seat 34 is provided and with which a spider 35 is formed integrally. The valve 36 is formed with a valve stem 31 25 which is supported in a bearing 38 formed on the spider, and a compression spring 39 holds the valve against the valve seat, so that the valve is normally closed. The valve 32 is also provided with an operating rod 40. The complete action 30 of valve 32, as well as of the other valves, is described later.

A pipe 4| leads from the water space 42, in

the Jacket H, to .a small tank 43 which is suit- .the cross-head. The pipe 44 is provided with swivel joints cross-head.

A piston rod 49 is secured to the upper end of one or the guides 50 between which cross-head works, and a piston 5| on the end of this rod engages in a cylinder 52. Water from the pipe 44 is fed to the cylinder 52, through the inlet 45 and a passage 53. A spring-actuated valve 54 is located at the lower end of this passage. Another valve 55 is located in the lower end of the cylinder and communicates with a pipe 56 which conveys the water to a passage 51 formed axially through the piston rod l3. The upper end of this passage terminates in a chamber 58 formed in the regular cylinder I4.

48 to enable it to move with the 0 A plurality of passages 59 lead from the cham- 5s ber 58 to the chamber 3| formed in the piston 20. Spray heads 80 are inserted in the lower ends of these passages. An enlarged view'of one of these spray heads is shown in Fig. 5. The spray head consists of a body part 6| which has a threaded shank 62 insertable in one of the passages 59, and a perforated spray member 63 which extends into the chamber, 3|. A valve 84, is contained in the body member; its actions will be described later.

An exhaust valve, of the sliding type, is mounted under the plate 24. This valve and its operating mechanism are shown in detail in Fig. 3. I It consists of a housing 85, in which a valve 68 is slidably mounted on rails 61. An operating rod 88 extends through the housing and is operated bya mechanism which will also be described later. A plurality of orifices-68 are formed in the plate 24 and similar orifices 18 are provided in the valve 88. The housing 85 terminates in an exhaust manifold II.

The operation of the engine will now be ex- I plained. Inasmuch as all the valves in the cylinder heads, their operating mechanism, as well as all other operating gears of the engine, may be of standard make, all these parts have been omitted to simplify the drawings and the de-' scription.

direction and that a fuel charge has just entered the regular cylinder I5. As the piston l4 de- I ber 28 will cause them to open and allow the exhaust to enter the upper end of the cylinder 2 I.

scends the exhaust gases are liberated through the exhaust port i8 and flow into the chamber 28. The cylinder is next scavenged by air forced through the port l8. Part of this air mixes with the gases in the chamber 28. The valves 28 and 21 are so balanced that the pressure in the cham- As thepiston |4 ascends, the valves 28 and 21 close and the gases in the upper end of the cylinder 2| are compressed until-the pressure created overcomes the pressure of the springs in valves 23 and 38 and causes these valves to open. The flow into the chamber 3| in exhaust gases now the piston 28.

While this is taking place, water, which has absorbed heat while flowing through the cooling system of the cylinder IE, will flow through pipe 4| and into tank 43 from which it is conveyed, by pipe 44, passage 83, and the valve opening in valve 84, into the pump cylinder 52. .As the pump cylinder ascends with the pistons, and as the piston rod-48 is stationary, it is evident that water from the .pump cylinder is forcibly driven through valve 85, pipe 88, the axial passage Fl in the piston rod i3, and into the chamber 88 in the piston I4.

The water now flows and through the spray heads 88. While passing through the chamber and the passages in- 1 the piston the water absorbs still more heat.;This

heated water is atomized, while flowing through the spray head, so as to thoroughly mix with the exhaust gases in the chamber 3|..

. The events just described are approximately timed asfollows: The fuel intake in the cylinder ll'opensjust a few degrees before the crank reaches top center and is closed at approximately 35 degrees aftertop center. The air intake opens about 15 degreesafter the'crankhas passed the top center and thecomplete opening and closing occupies about 100 degrees while the piston descends. The exhaust port l8 through the passage 88.

the crank has passed the.

starts to open about 40 degrees before the crank reaches the bottom cenchamber 28 and into the space in the cylinder 2| above the piston 20.

As previouslystated the valve 32 is actuatable by a rod 48. The lower end of this rod carries a stud 12 which engages in an elongated slot 13 formed in one end of a bell crank I4, which is actuated by a cam 15 secured on a shaft 18. This shaft is supported in bearings 11 which rest upon brackets 18, bolted to the frame Hi. The shaft is rotated, in timed relation to the reciprocations of the pistons, through any suitable mechanism, as for example a chain 83 driven by' a sprocket gear 84, secured on the crank shaft 85, and driving a sprocket gear 86, secured on the shaft 18.

When the pistons start to ascend the valve 32 is closed. As thepistons move upward the rod 40 lifts, or rotates, the bell crank 14 until the cam face on cam15 engages with the short arm of the bell crank and, through the rod'48, opens the valve 32. This opening takes place shortly after the piston starts on the up stroke. The steam and gases now flow into the lower end of the cylinder 2|, under the piston 20, where they are drawn from the expand and aid in forcing the pistons upwardly.

the chamber 3| until the pistons have again returned to the lower-most position and started on the up stroke.

As the pistons again start to descend the slide valve 88 opens to release the gases from the lower end of cylinder 2|. This valve is actuated by a cam I8 which is also secured on the shaft 18.

Thiscam rocks a bell-'-crank 88 which, through a link 8|, is connected with the valve rod 88, as plainly shownin Fig. 3.. When the orifices 88 and I0 are aligned the gases are exhausted through these openings and flow through the housing 85, into the exhaust manifold ll.

As the pistons again ascend the cycle just describedis repeated. It is, of com'se,'evident that the pressure obtained in the various parts of the cylinder 2| and in the chamber in the piston 28, as well as.the expansion under this piston, depends on the manner in which the various automatic valves are balanced and in the manner in which the other, valves are timed. By varying the balancing and timing of these valves, great variation in the pressures and the release of the ures may be obtained. Figs. 6, '1 and 8 illustrate, diagrammatically, the actions of the various valves, through which the exhaust gases flow, during a'complete cycle. The low-pressure piston is approximately twice-the diameter of the high-pressure pisto Having described y 'under the bottom of the piston 20, exhaust gases n. invention and its oband wish to protect 'higlr pressure cylinder; a'high pressure piston;

an oppositely-disposed low pressure piston "secured to the piston rod end of the high pressure piston; a chamber iormed'insaid low pressure piston; a cylinder in which said low pressure piston operates; pressure-actuated valves for'con veying the exhaust gases from the high pressure cylinder to the upper end of the low pressure cylinder; pressure'actuated valves torconveying these gases through said chamber tothe operating end of the low pressure cylinder to supply power to the low pressure piston; and means for exhausting the expanded gases from the low pressure cylinder.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine of the reciprocating piston type; a'

high pressure cylinder; at highv pressurepiston; an oppositely-disposed low-pressure piston secured to the piston rod end of the high pressure piston; a chamber formed in said low pressure piston; a cylinder in which said low pressure piston operates; pressure actuated valves for conveying the exhaust gases from the high pressure cylinder to the upper end of the low pressure cylinder; pressure actuated valves for convey ing these gases through said chamber to thebp- .erating end of the low pressure cylinder to supply power to the low pressure piston; means for injecting water in a fine spray into the low pressure cylinder to mix with the gases; and means forexhaustingthe expanded gases-from the lowpressure cylinder.- Y Y 3. In combination with an internal combustion engine of the reciprocating piston type having a water-cooling system; a high pressure cylinder; 40 a high pressure piston, an oppositely-disposed low pressure pistonsecured to the pist'onrod end of the high pressure piston; a chamber formed in said low pressure piston; acylinder in which said low pressure piston operates; pressure actuated valves for conveying the exhaust gases from the high pressure cylinder to the upper .end of the low pressure cylinder; pressure actuated'valves for conveying these gases through said chambe'r to the operating end of the low pressure cylinder to supply power to the low pressure piston; means for conveying water from the water-cooling sy stem to the low pressure cylinder; means for injecting water in a fine spray into the low pressure cylinder to niix with the gases; and means for exbausting the expanded gases from the low pressure cylinder. r

4. In combination with a water cooled engine '0! the reciprocating piston type; a high pressure cylinder; a' high pressure piston? an opno itei disposed low pressure piston secured to the pistonrod endv of the high pressure piston; a chamber formed in said low pressure piston; a cylinder in which-said low pressure piston operates; pressure actuated valves for conveying the exhaust gases from the high pressure cylinder to the upper end of the low pressure cylinder; pressure actuated valves for conveying these gases through said chamber to the operating end of the low pressure cylinder to supply'power to the low pressure piston; means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder cooling system through the piston-rod and into the low pressure cylinder; means for atomizing the cooling water before mixing it withv the exhaust gases contained in the low pressure cylinder; and means for exhausting the gases from the low pressure cylinder.

5. In combination with a water cooled engine of the reciprocating piston type; a high pressurecylinder; a high pressure piston; an oppositelydisposed low pressure piston secured to the pistonrod end of the high pressure piston; a chamber formed in said low pressure piston; a cylinder in which saidlow pressure piston operates; pressure actuated valves for conveying the exhaust gases from the high pressure cylinder to the upper end of the low pressure cylinder; pressure actuated valves for conveying these gases through said chamber to the operating end of the low pressure cylinder to supplypower to the low pressure piston; means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder cooling system through the piston-rod and into the low pressure cylinder; means for atomizing the cooling water before mixing it with the exhaust gases contained in the low pressure cylinder; means for timing the admittance of the exhaust gases to the low pressure cylinder; and means vfor exhausting the gases from the low pressure cylinder.

6. In combination with a'water'cooled engine of the reciprocating piston type; a high pressure cylinder; a high pressure piston; an oppositelydisposed low pressure piston secured to the piston rodend of the high pressure piston; a chamber formed in saiddow pressure piston; a cylinder in which said low pressure piston operates; pressure actuated valves for conveying the exhaust gases from the high pressure cylinder to the upper end of the low pressure cylinder; pressure actuated valves for conveying these gases through said chamber to the operating end of the low pressure cylinder to supply power to the low pressure piston; means for forcibly conveying water from the cylinder cooling system through the piston rod and 1 into the low pressure cylinder; a

valve in the bottom of said chamber; means for atomizing the cooling water before. mixing it with the exhaust gases contained inthe low pressurecylinder; means for timing the admittance of the 

